Vending-machine.



PATENTED OCT. 2-7, 1903.

' G. RUPLEY.

VENDING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18,1902

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.-

\ 3 five/1T 7 5 0% 7 his a N0 MODEL.

VV/Zhcs ses m: NORRIS PETERS w. morauruo wAsumaToN, o. c.

PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903.

G. RUPLEY. VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18. 1902 m o\ ?M e m P! S m P 9 w T e 5 Q mflfimr m/ m 5 @M a G .S s AWM N0 MODEL.

W/Z'm: s s cs THE mums wzrzns cu. PNOYQ-LITNQ, \VASHINGYO No. 742,804.PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903. G. RUPLEY. VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18, 1902 N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

II .ml g an 17/5 QZtOf/YGVS No."'742,804. PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903.

G. RUPLEY.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18, 1902 N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

2776 sses flit e023! QM W 4 W n1: Nonms Pmas co. PNOYO-LITMO,WASHiNGTQN. o. c.

UNITED STATES cnoncn RUPLEY, or me MACHINE OF MINNESOTA.

COMPANY, OF DULUTH,

Patented October 27, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION VENDING-MACHINE.

SEECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,804, dated October27,

Application filed August 18, 1902. Serial No. 120,095. (No model.)

To Ml whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE RUPLEY, of Duluth, St. Louis county,Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a vending-machine having a mechanism controlledby the weight of a coin deposited therein for delivering newspapers,articles of merchandise, magazines, and other periodicals.

The object of the invention is to dispense with the cumbersome awkwardracks that are usually employed in machines of this kind and are soinconvenient to handle and require so much time for adjustment when thebox is being filled.

A further object is to provide a machine -which can be adjusted todeliver newspapers and other articles of diiierent thickness and willpositively prevent the discharge or withdrawal of more than one paper ata time or upon the deposit of but a single coin.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detaileddescription.

The invention consists generally in a box having a delivery-opening, asuitable support within the box for newspapers or other articles placedone above the other therein, and oscillating fingers adapted to passbetween the forward edge of the bottom article and the one above it.

Further-,the invention consists in providing fingers that are normallybelow the edge of the bottom paper to aid in supporting it and thoseabove, said supporting-fingers being withdrawn when the separatin g-fingers are inserted between the bottom paper and the one above.

Further, the invention consists in a sliding guard-plate that norm allycloses the deliveryopening in the front of the box.

Further, the invention'consists in providing means for varying theadjustment of the suports according to the thickness of the articlesplaced thereon.

Further, the invention consists in various constructions andcombinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figurecal transverse section of a vending-machine embodying my inventionlooking toward the front of the box from the inside. Fig. 2 is avertical section from front to back, showing the adjustable support forthe papers and the fingers in their retracted position. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the fingers swung around over the support toseparate horizontal section and the fingers whereon be sold are placed.Fig. 5 is a detail section] showing the box filled with papers and readyfor use. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the deliveryopening exposedand the bottom paper separated from the others by the finger mechanism.Fig. 7 is a perspective of the guardplate and fingersand their operatingmechanism. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing fingers for supporting thepapers and adapted to be withdrawn to permit the delivery of the paper.Fig. 9 is a detail showing the manner of adjusting the fingers to varythe distance between those that enter between the papers and those thatsupport the papers at the bottom. Fig. 10 is a perspective showin g thefingers with the package of papers resting thereon. Fig. 11 is a similarview showing the supporting-fingers withdrawn and the separating-fingersinserted between the bottom paper and the one above.

In the drawings, 2 represents a suitable box or casing having a hingedcover 3, through which the papers or other articles are placed in thebox and provided in its front wall with a delivery-openin g 4, throughwhich the hand of the purchaser is thrust to remove the bottom paper orother article that is being sold.

5 represents a coin-chute through which a coinof suitable denominationis delivered; but as this coin-actuated mechanism forms no part of mypresent invention I have not attempted to illustrate and will notdescribe the same herein, it being sufficient to state that the machineis provided with the usual rockshaft 6, having a notched disk 7, securedthereon, that is engaged by an arm 8, which Fig. i is a the, support lis a verti bottom of the pile of ILO 22, pivotally in turn is controlledby the coin actuated mechanism. A partition 9 separates thecoinactu'ated mechanism from the space in the box wherein the papers orother articles are placed. A lever 10 is provided on the shaft 6,projecting through a slot 11 in the front of the box, the hub of saidlever being provided with a lug or extension 12, that is connected witha post 13 in the wall of the box by a coiled spring 14. This springnormally holds the lever in the bottom of the slot and returns the shaftand its connecting mechanism to their normal position when the lever isreleased after being raised to operate said mechanism and release apaper. A plate 15 is provided in the front of the box over the opening 4vertically slidable in guides 16 and connected by links 17 with arms 18,that are secured on the rock-shaft 6. lVhen the lever is raised to rocksaid shaft, the guard-plate 15 will be raised also, exposing the openingin front of the box and allowing the purchaser to thrust in his hand toremove the paper.

The shaft 6 is provided with a beveled pinion l9, meshing with a similarpinion 20, that is secured on an upright shaft 21, which at its upperend has a right-angled extension connected with a bar 23, that is alsosecured to corresponding right-angled extensions 24 on the upper ends ofstandards 25. The shaft 21 is supported in a guide 26, provided on across-bar27, that is secured to the front Wall of the box near the topthereof, and said shaft is also guided in a bracket 28, that is securedon a low partition 29, that extends from the back of the box nearly tothe front wall thereof. The standards 25 are supported by clips 011 thebar 27 and on similar clips 31, secured to a bar 32 on the front of thebox near the partition-wall 29. Rocking of the shaft 6 has the effect ofoscillating the shaft 21 in its bearings and causing the bar 23 to bemoved lengthwise and partially rotate the standards 25. These standardsare provided at their lower one above, and allowing the bottom paper tobe drawn out from the pile.

The papers or other articles to be sold are supported within the boxupon a shelf or plate 34, supported, preferably, by hinges on the rearwall of the box and adapted to be oscillated vertically to vary thedistance between its forward edge and the ends of the oscillatingfingers 33. The plate 34 is preferably provided with a recess 35 in itsforward edge to permit the purchaser to convenientl y grasp the foldededge of the paper to be withdrawn. Said plate is also provided withlaterally-extending lugs 36, which lap over the partition 29 and a block37 on the opposite outer wall of the box and support the forward edge ofthe plate and the articles ends with horizontal thereon. To permit theadjustment of the forward edge of said plate to vary the distancebetween it and the fingers 33, I provide thumb-screws 38, which passthrough the lugs 36 and engage the top of the partition 29 and the block37. \Vhen the box-cover is open, the person in charge by manipulatingthe thumb-screws 38 can readily adjust the supporting-plate to adapt themachine for delivering the comparatively thin daily papers or the thickunwieldly Sunday editions. The

box is provided on each side with verticallyarranged rods 39 and 40,secured by clips 41 and 42 near the top and bottom and presenting anunobstructed surface to the descent of the papers as they are delivered.At the back of the box I prefer to provide rods 43, that are secured attheir outer ends to the rear wall and, passing through slots 44 in theplate 34, are adjustably secured by clips 45 tothe box-bottom. The bentlower ends of these rods are slidable in clips 45 to permit theadjustment of the'rods, according to the desired depth of the machine,for the dimensions of the paper or other article to be sold. The slots44 are of sufficient length to allow the adjustment of the rods 43 andthe plate 34 without interference;

In operation when acoin has been deposited in the chute and the leverraised the fingers will be swung in between the bottom paper or articleand the one above, the folds in the papers presenting rounded edges topermit the fingers to be conveniently slipped in between them.Thefingers will be of sufficient length to prevent any but the bottompaper being removed, and when said fingers are in their normal positionconceal the delivery-opening and absolutely prohibit the removal of apaper until the coin mechanism has posit of a coin.

In Figs. 8, 9, l0, and ll I have shown a modified construction whichconsists in providing an arm 46 near the upper end of the shaft 21 andconnecting said arm with similar arms orstandards 47 and 48 by a bar 49.The lower ends of the shafts or standards 47 and 48 are provided withfin gers 50, which normally project beneath the forward portion of thepapers or articles placed. in the machine and cooperate with a narrowerhinged shelf 51 to sustain the papers or articles, said fingers beingpreferably longer than those heretofore described and adapted to extenda considerable distance beneath the package of papers and prohibitanypossibility' of the bottom paper being folded and drawn out betweenthe ends of the fingers-and the hinged shelf. Upon the standards 47 and48 I arrange sleeves 52, having laterally-extending fingers at theirlower ends that extend in a direction substantially at right angles tothe fingers 50 and in planes that are substantially parallel and abovethe same. The upper ends of the sleeves 52 have slightly-flaring flangedpore been actuated by the de- The sleeves 52 tions e, that are inelosedby annular flanges or rings 55 on nuts 56, that are threaded to engagethe threaded portions 57 of said stand ards. These nuts are verticallymovable on the threads of said standards and can be'readily raised orlowered to adjust the fingers 53 and vary the distance between them andthe fingers 50, according to the thickness of the newspaper or otherarticle that is to be delivered. Suitable lock-nuts are preferablyprovided on the threaded portions of the standards to prevent prematuremovement of the nuts 56 and the sleeve supported thereon. The fingers 53being substantially at right angles to the fingers 50, it is evidentthat when the operating-lever is raised to rock the shaft 6 as thefingers 50 are swung around from under the bottom paper of the pile topermit its withdraw l the fingers 53 will pass between the edge of thebottom paper and the one above it, and when the fingers 50 are entirelywithdrawn from under the edge of the paper the fingers 53 will havepassed over the edge of said paper,

between it and the paper above, and will prevent the delivery of morethan one paper or other article at a time. are preferably secured on themeans of set-screws 58, passing through slots 59 in said sleeves intothreaded holes in said standards. Upon removing these screws the sleevesmay be revolved and raised or lowered on the standards to adjust thefingers 53 with respect to standards a7 by the fingers 50.

' draw the bottom paper sprin g The following is a brief description ofthe operation of the machine: The purchaserhaving deposited a coin ofthe proper denomination in the chute can operate the rock-shaft andswing the separating-fingers in between the edge of the bottom paper andthe one above, as indicated in Fig. 6. At the same time the guard-platewill be raised, exposing the opening through which the purchaser maythrust his hand, as shown in Fig. 6, and withof the pile, while theothers will be supported at their forward edges and-prevented from beingwithdrawn by the fingers. If the mechanism shown in Fig. Sis employed,the fingers 50 will be normally under the forward edge of the papers,and upon the rock'shaft being operated these fingers will be moved aquarter-revolution, while the fingers 53 on the level above the fingers50 will be swung in between the forward edge of the bottom paper and theone next above, whereupon the purchaser will insert his hand through thedeliveryopening and remove the bottom paper, as before. As

, soon as the paper is withdrawn the purchaser will release theoperating handle and the will return the rock-shaft, the fingers, andtheir connecting mechanism to their normal position and the guardplatewill close the delivery-opening and positively prevent the removal ofany papers until another coin has been deposited in the chute.

I do not wish'to be confined in this case to the particular meansemployed for operating the oscillating fingers, nor for adjusting thesupport whereon the articles to be sold are placed, as the same is capble of various modifications by any one skilled in the art withoutdeparting from my invention.

I claim as my invention- I 1. The combination, with a vending-machinebox having a deliveryopening, of a support for the rear edges ofnewspapers or other articles placed one above another therein,oscillating forward supports, and fingers provided above said forwardsupports and arranged to be thrust in between the forward edge of thebottom paper and the one next above when said forward supports arewithdrawn from beneath said bottom paper, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a vending-machine box provided with a suitabledeliveryopening, of an oscillating support provided within said box andwhereon the newspapers or other articles to be sold are piled one abovethe other, means for adjusting said support to raise or lower theforward edge of the same, oscillating horizontally-arranged fingersprovided near the forward edge of said support, and means for operatingsaid fingers to swing them in between the forward edge of the bottomarticle and the corresponding edge of the one above.

3. The combination, with a vending-machine box provided with a suitablecover and a delivery-opening, of a support whereon the newspapers orother articles to be sold are piled one above the other, fingersprovided near the forward edge of said articles and adapted to passbetween the'edge of the bottom article and the one above, a guard-platenormally closing said delivery-opening, and means for operating saidfingers and said guard-plate.

4. The combination, with a vending-machine box provided with a suitablecover and a delivery-opening, of a plate hinged at the rear of said boxand whereon the articles to be sold are piled one above the other,upright standards provided near the forward edges of the articles onsaid support, fingers provided on said standards, a vertically-slidingguard-plate normally closing said deliveryopening, and means forpartially rotating said standards to swing said fingers between thebottom article and the one above and simultaneously raising saidguard-plate, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a vending-machine box provided with a suitabledeliveryopenin g, of a support within said box whereon the newspapers orother articles to be sold are piled one above the other, a rook-shaft,and means for operating the same, upright standards provided near saidsupport, a suitable mechanism connecting said standards and said shaft,whereby when said shaft is rocked ICC . said standards will be chine boxprovided with spring normally partially rotated, fingers provided onsaid standards above the level of the forward edge of said support andadapted when said shaft is rocked to pass between the edge of the bottomarticle and the corresponding edge of the article above, sub stantiallyas described.

6. The combination, with a vending-machine box having a suitabledelivery-opening, of a hinged support provided therein and whereon thenewspapers are placed one above the other with their folded edges towardthe front of the box, means for raising or lowering the forward ahorizontal rock-shaft, and means for operating the same, uprightstandards provided near said support and partially rotated by therocking of said shaft, fingers provided on said standards and adapted topass between the folded edge of the bottom paper and the one above whensaid shaft is rocked, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a vending-machine box provided with adelivery-opening, of a support whereon newspapers are piled one abovethe other, a horizontal rock-shaft, and means for operating the same, anoperating-lever thereon, a sliding guard-plate normally closing saiddelivery-opening and connected with said shaft to be operated thereby,oscillating fingers provided near said support and above the level ofthe lower edge of the same and adapted to enter between the folded edgeof the bottom paper and the one above, and a suitable mechanismconnecting said fingers and said rock-shaft.

8. The combination, with a vending-machine provided with adelivery-opening, of a support whereon newspapers or other articlesposition, a sliding guard-plate normally closing said delivery-openingand connected with said shaft and raised when said shaft is rocked,standards connected with said shaft and partially rotated thereby, andhorizontal fingers provided on said standards and adapted to enterbetween the forward folded edge of the bottom paper and the one above.

9. The combination, with a vending-maa delivery-opening, of a horizontalrock-shaft, a lever therefor, a

holding said lever in its depressed position, a sliding guardplatenormally closing said delivery-openin g, arms provided on said shaft,and links connecting said guard-plate and said arms.

10. The combination, with a vending-machine box having adelivery-opening, of a support whereon the articles to be sold arearranged one above the other therein, supporting-fingers projectingbeneath the forward edge of the bottom article, dividing-fingersarranged substantially at right angles to said supporting-fingers andabove the level of the edge of said support,

same a distance correspondingsubstantially to the thickness of eacharticle to be delivered, and means for oscillating said fingerssimultaneously to withdraw said supportingfingers from beneath thebottom article and insert said dividing-fingers between said am ale andthe one above.

11. The combination, with a vending-machine box having adelivery-opening, of a support provided therein at the rear of the boxand whereon the articles to be sold are piled one above the other,oscillating supporting-fingers provided at the frontof the box andadapted to project beneath the bottom article of the pile,dividing-fingers arranged substantially at right angles to saidsupporting-fingers and above the level of the same a distancecorresponding substantially to the thickness of the articles to bedelivered, means for adjusting said dividing-fingers vertically, andmeans for oscillating said supporting and dividing fingers.

12. The combination, with a vending-machine box having adelivery-opening, of a hinged shelf provided within said box at the rearthereof and whereon articles to be sold are piled one above the other,oscillatingfingers whereon the forward portions of said articles aresupported, partially-rotatin g standards whereon said fingers aresecured, dividing-fingers mounted on said standards above saidvsupporting-fingers and adapted to enter the space between the bottomarticle and the one above when said standards are partially rotated, arock-shaft,-and means for operating the same, and a suitable mechanismconnecting said rock-shaft and said standards.

13. The combination, with a vending-machine box having a suitabledelivery-opening, of a support provided within said box near its rearwall whereon the papers are piled one above the other, oscillatingsupporting-fingers near the front of said box and extending beneath theforward portion of the articles placed therein, dividin -fingers nearsaid sup- 7 porting-fingers above the level of the same a distancesubstantially equal to the thickness of thearticles to be delivered, aguard-plate normally closing said delivery-opening, and means forsimultaneously moving said guard plate and oscillating said fingers,substantially as described.

14. The combination, with a vending-machine box having adelivery-opening, of asuitable support provided within said box near itsrear wall whereon the articles to be delivcred are piled one above theother, upright standards arranged near the front of said box,supporting-fingers provided thereon and extending beneath the forwardedges of the articles resting upon said support, dividing-fingers alsoarranged upon said standards above the level of said supporting-fingers,means for adjusting said dividing-fingers on said standards according tothe thickness of the articles rock-shaft, an operto be sold, ahorizontal ating-lever for moving said shaft in one direction, a springfor returning said shaft to its normal position, an operative mechanismconnecting said shaft with said standards,

whereby when said shaft is rocked by the movement of said lever saidsupporting-fin- 'ers will be withdrawn and said dividing-fingerswillbeinserted between the forward edge of the bottom article and the oneabove, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of August,1902.

GEORGE RUPLEY.

In presence of RICHARD PAUL, O. G. HANSON.

